This selection exercise may be used to generate a roster of pre-approved candidates to address future staffing needs for similar functions in any of the Departments and Offices of the Organization.
IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING APPLICATION DEADLINE: Please note that the closing date for submission of applications is indicated in local time as per the time zone of the applicant's location.
Organizational Setting
The Department of Nuclear Safety and Security (NS) formulates and implements the IAEA's nuclear safety and security programme, which encompasses the Agency's activities to protect people and the environment from radiation exposure, and responds to the needs of its Member States related to nuclear safety and security.
The objective of the Division of Nuclear Installation Safety (NSNI) is to achieve and maintain a high level of safety of nuclear installations worldwide that are under design or construction or in operation. The Division does this by establishing standards of safety for the protection of health, including standards for nuclear power plants and other nuclear installations and facilities, and by providing for the application of these standards through, among other things, support for the IAEA's Technical Cooperation programme, the rendering of safety review services, the promotion of education and training, the fostering of information exchange and the coordination of research and development. In addition, the Division helps ensure safety at nuclear installations by promulgating international safety instruments such as the Convention on Nuclear Safety and the Code of Conduct on the Safety of Research Reactors. NSNI comprises five Sections:
*External Events Safety Section
*Operational Safety Section
*Safety Assessment Section
*Regulatory Activities Section
*Research Reactor Safety Section
The Safety Assessment Section (SAS) helps to improve the capability of Member States in carrying out effective safety assessments and enhancing the safety of nuclear installations. SAS does this by developing safety standards and guides for design and safety assessment; by promoting the use of advanced safety assessment methods and tools with enhanced integration of deterministic and probabilistic analyses and the use of risk-informed and performance-based safety approaches. The Section undertakes Technical Safety Reviews (TSRs) that can be tailored to the needs of requesting parties. The work of the Section covers existing, evolutionary and innovative reactors, including small modular reactors (SMRs), non-water-cooled reactors and fusion reactors.
Main Purpose
Reporting to the Division Director, the Section Head is the manager and team leader of the Safety Assessment Section responsible for initiating, developing and implementing the IAEA's policy and programme on the safety assessment of nuclear installations with focus on design of nuclear installation against external and internal hazards. The Section Head leads the Section's activities to ensure the efficacy and efficiency of the IAEA's programme on a global level and manages the Section's financial and human resources.
Role
The Section Head is: (a) a programme manager in a specialized, multilateral environment, finding practical solutions and presenting arguments that can achieve results; (b) an adviser, providing analysis and background information to the Division Director for the formulation of strategies and policies related to the Section's technical responsibilities and facilitating their implementation; (c) a manager, planning, managing, coordinating and supervising the activities of the Section in accordance with IAEA policies and programmes and Member States' needs and ensuring that programmes and tasks are implemented effectively; (d) a promoter, conveying to multiple audiences the IAEA's vision and mission in this area; (e) a substantive technical expert contributor, managing and implementing projects of particular complexity and/or sensitivity ; and (f) a collaborator, actively promoting and maintaining effective cooperation and partnership with other Sections in the Division to support cross functional exchange, alignment and interdependent work processes.
Functions / Key Results Expected
Plan, initiate, develop, implement, guide, coordinate and supervise the activities of the Section.
Provide technical and managerial leadership of the Section in the following areas: enhancing the capability of Member States in relation to the application of the IAEA's safety standards by carrying out safety assessment review services in the fields of probabilistic assessments, accident management programmes, design safety and generic reactor safety; enhancing the capability of Member States in establishing and maintaining procedures for self-assessment of their compliance with the IAEA's safety standards; coordinating and supporting Member States in the areas of education and training, including conducting coordinated research projects to enhance technical skills in Member States.
Broaden knowledge of safety assessment and safety enhancement of nuclear installations through: organizing scientific meetings, preparing scientific programmes, contributing to the preparation and editing of scientific reports, manuals, proceedings and other scientific publications, and organizing in-house meetings in support of the Section's scientific programme; establishing and maintaining contacts with individual scientists in relevant organizations, committees and scientific societies.
Plan, manage and lead the development, review and publication process of safety standards for all the nuclear installation types which are under the responsibility of the Section.
Plan, organize and lead complex safety review missions, including preparatory and follow up visits and assessments of Member States' needs. Provide technical input and coordinate the preparation of mission reports.
Identify strategies and analyse information to enhance the capability of the Section's programme to address Member States' needs and lead the IAEA's activities related to supporting the further strengthening of the international safety regime in the assigned technical areas.
Coordinate the Section's provision of specialized technical input to technical cooperation projects in the subject area.
Provide support and relevant expertise for the Incident and Emergency System (IES) and participate in associated training and exercises.
Actively promote and maintain effective collaboration and partnership with other Sections in the Division to support cross-functional exchange and interdependent work processes.
Competencies and Expertise
Core Competencies (Competency Framework)
| Name | Definition |
|---|---|
| Planning and Organizing | Sets clearly defined objectives for himself/herself and the team or Section. Identifies and organizes deployment of resources based on assessed needs, taking into account possible changing circumstances. Monitors team’s performance in meeting the assigned deadlines and milestones. |
| Communication | Encourages open communication and builds consensus. Uses tact and discretion in dealing with sensitive information, and keeps staff informed of decisions and directives as appropriate. |
| Achieving Results | Sets realistic targets for himself/herself and for the team; ensures availability of resources and supports staff members in achieving results. Monitors progress and performance; evaluates achievements and integrates lessons learned. |
| Teamwork | Encourages teamwork, builds effective teams and resolves problems by creating a supportive and collaborative team spirit, remaining mindful of the need to collaborate with people outside the immediate area of responsibility. |
Functional Competencies
| Name | Definition |
|---|---|
| Judgement/decision making | Consults with and seeks advice at the appropriate managerial level when making complex decisions. Facilitates dialogue and development of best practice to support judgement/decision making, in full compliance with the Agency’s regulations and rules. |
| Partnership building | Identifies interests and goals common to the Agency’s partners and its stakeholders to foster partnership building. Promotes collaboration with partners, colleagues across teams and stakeholders. |
| Technical/scientific credibility | Provides guidance and advice in his/her area of expertise on the application of scientific/professional methods, procedures and approaches. |
Required Expertise
| Function | Name | Expertise Description |
|---|---|---|
| Nuclear Safety | Design Safety Assessment | Experience in assessing safety of new and existing nuclear installations, taking into consideration all postulated initiating events. |
| Nuclear Safety | Design of Nuclear Installations | Expertise in all aspects of design of nuclear installations, including safety-related structure, systems and components. |
| Human Resources | Project Management | Extensive experience in leading multi-disciplinary and multi-cultural teams. |
| Nuclear Safety | Safety Assessment Methods and Tools | Experience in deterministic and probabilistic safety analyses of nuclear installations, including expertise in application of related methods and tools. |
Qualifications, Experience and Language skills
Advanced university degree in engineering or physical/nuclear sciences. A first level university degree in engineering or physical/nuclear sciences plus two years of relevant work experience may be considered in lieu of the advanced university degree.
Minimum of 10 years of professional experience in safety assessments and/or nuclear applications, with demonstrated exposure to both domains.
Within the above experience, at least five years should have been spent in a senior or middle management role in industry, government, or regulatory environments.
Demonstrated international experience, including involvement in developing or applying IAEA safety standards (directly or indirectly), such as through Safety Review Services or IAEA Technical Workshops.
Knowledge of related technical fields including nuclear physics and reactor design/operation.
Proven experience working in a cross-functional environment, demonstrating the ability to build effective partnerships, coordinate interdependent workflows, and facilitate information-sharing across teams.
Excellent oral and written command of English. Knowledge of other official IAEA languages (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian and Spanish) is an asset.
Remuneration
The IAEA offers an attractive remuneration package including a tax-free annual net base salary starting at US $103165 (subject to mandatory deductions for pension contributions and health insurance), a variable post adjustment which currently amounts to US $ 53749, dependency benefits, rental subsidy, education grant, relocation and repatriation expenses; Other benefits include 6 weeks' annual leave, home leave travel, pension plan and health insurance. More information on the conditions of employment can be found at: https://www.iaea.org/about/employment/professional-staff/conditions
General Information
- The IAEA's paramount consideration in the recruitment of staff member is to secure employees of the highest standards of efficiency, technical competence and integrity.
- Staff Members shall be selected without any unfair treatment or arbitrary distinction based on a person's race, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, disability, age, language, social origin or other similar shared characteristic or trait.
- The IAEA is committed to gender equality and to promoting a diverse workforce. Applications from qualified women and candidates from developing countries are strongly encouraged.
- Applicants should be aware that IAEA staff members are international civil servants and may not accept instructions from any other authority. The IAEA is committed to applying the highest ethical standards in carrying out its mandate. As part of the United Nations common system, the IAEA subscribes to the following core ethical standards (or values): Integrity, Professionalism and Respect for diversity.
- The IAEA has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and the IAEA, including sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination.
Evaluation process
- The evaluation of applicants will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted in the application according to the selection criteria stated in the vacancy announcement. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information. Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise, which may be followed by a competency-based interview.
- Candidates under serious consideration for selection may be subject to reference and background checks as part of the recruitment process.
Appointment information
- Appointment is subject to a satisfactory medical report.
- Staff members may be assigned to any location.
- Candidates appointed to posts in the Professional and higher categories are subject to IAEA rotation policy and their maximum tour of service shall normally be seven years.
- The IAEA retains the discretion not to make any appointment to this vacancy, to make an appointment at a lower grade or with a different contract type, or to make an appointment with a modified job description or for shorter duration than indicated above.